Ice-conveyer.



B. B. PHILLIPS.

ICE coNvE'YER.

APPLICTION FILED MAR. 29. 1916.

Patented De.19,1916.

I n II|J I I I I l I I I I I IIJ LII.

xlfllllplllm Y E N R o T T A BYRON B. PHILLIPS, or HUDSON, NEW YORK. l

Ion-CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

Application led March 29, 1916. Serial No. 87,586.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BYRON B. PHILLIPS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Hudson, in the count-y of Columbia and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Ice-Conveyer, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to ice con- Veyers, and its object is to provide a conveyer for removing ice from storage rooms or for other purposes to which the invention may be applied.

In accordance with the present invention the conveyer is made up of a number of separate sections each complete in itseif and adapted to be connected at the ends to other like conveyer sections, so that power applied,

to one conveyer section is transferred through all the connected sections. Each section is provided with means for engaging the ice or other material to be conveyed and lthe engaging means of any section maybe moved into or out of active orengaging relation to the material to be moved without affecting other sections. In this manner the conveying of the ice or other material may begin at l.any section and continue through any chosen number of sections. WVhile the invention is adaptable for conveying various materials, it is designed primarily for moving ice from storage rooms, wherefore, for simplicity of description, the following description will be confined to the use ofthe invention for ice conveying without, however, thereby confining the invention to such particular use.

Thel invention will be best understood from a consideration of the followin'g de- -tailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the further understanding that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modiicationscome within the scope. of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of anice conveyer made up of a plurality of sections joined end to end. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-'2 of Fig.

l but drawn on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig.. 1 but drawn on a. larger scale. Fig. 4 is a sectonon the line -t4 of Fig. 1 but drawn on a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a Series of conveyer sections A, B, C, which may be lconsidered as representative of any number ofA conveyer sections abutted end to end'to provide an elongated conveyer of the desired length. Each section of the conveyer comprises a frame made up of side bars 1 and cross bars 2. The side bars 1 are shown as angle bars each of allength correthe cross bars 2 are each of suitable size having rising bends 3 adjacent to the side v .transported along the conveyer without liability of leaving the tracks. The frame members and tracks of each conveyer section are riveted or otherwise secured together, so that the section is in effect of unitary construction.

4, and preferably midway between the tracks 4, is a boxing 6 shown as composed vof channel strips 7 and angle strips 8 with the channel strips 7 carried by the cross bars 2 above the latter and the angle strips 8 car- Extending' lengthwise of each section between the tracks.

'sponding tothe length of the section, and

ried by the cross bars 2 with dependingmatching webs spaced apart a-suiiicient distance, the channels 7 being correspondingly spaced and rising to a height above the bars 2 which may be a little less thanthe height of thel edges 5 of the tracks 4 above' the main portions of the bars 2. If the blocks of ice are entered sufficiently -by` the edges 5 of the tracks 4, the middle portions of the blocks may rest upon the top flanges of the channels 7, which flanges extend oppositely one from the other toward the lrespective tracks 4. J ournaled in the boxing thus formed, near respective ends of the boxing, are shafts 9, l0, respectively, with'the shaft 9 carrying a sprocket wheel 11 and the shaft 10 carrying a sprocket wheel 12. A The Sprocket Wheels are located in the boxing between the walls thereof and traveling about the sprocket wheels withruns extending from one sprocket wheel to the other is a sprocket chain 13 carrying spurs 14 or other suitable engaging devices. The spurs 14 answer very well for ice, but for other articles other appropriate engaging means may be provided.

In the operative position of the conveyer sections they are laid either horizontally or at inclines, so that there is an upper run 15 and a lower run 16 of the conveyer chain. Each upper run is supported by a T bar 17 of a length somewhat less than the distance between the sprocket wheels 11 and 12 with the stem of the T extending downwardly and suitably recessed at the ends, as shown at 18 and19,-respectively, to engage. the upper surfaces of certain ones of the cross bars 2 to permit certain movements of the bar 17.

Secured to the inner faces of the depending webs of the angle bars 8 are angle strips 20 with webs directed one toward the other in position to support the lower run 16' of the chain 13, this chain being of a length to have its lower run sag somewhat when the upper run is about straight or supported by the T bar 17 when the latter is close to the cross bars 2. f l

Provision is made for elevating the T bar 17, that is, for moving it toward the `-upper open side of the boxing', in which case the upper run 15 of the chain 13 is correspondingly lifted and the spurs 14 are correspondingly lifted. The-movement of the bar 17 with the upper run 15 of the chain is such that in the lowered position of the bar the spurs are housed within the boxing and when the T bar 17 is elevated the spurs are projected above the top of the boxing.

In order to provide for the elevating and lowering movements of the bar 17 each section of *the conveyer has near onev end a transversely arranged crank shaft 21 journaled in the boxingand in one of the side bars 1 ofl the conveyer 'section frame, the shaft having a. crankV portion 22 located within the boxing. Thls crank 22 is Aconnected by a link 23 to the corresponding end of the end portion of the bar 17 That end of the crank shaft 21 which projects through one of the side bars 1 has a squared end '24, or is otherwise arranged for the application ,of a crank or other operating device, wheres by the shaft 21 may be rocked through a suicient distance for the ypurpose of the invention. The bar 17 is carriedl at suitable intervals by links 25 each pivotedl at one end to that portion of the boxing represented byv the angle bars 8 and at the other end tothe.

steml web of the bar 17 rlhe links 25 may be arranged in pairs with the links of each pair on respectively opposite sides of the bar 17 When the bar 17 is in the lower position the links 25 are inclined/with,y respectv similarly set in motion.

to the longitudinal center line of the conveyer section, and when the bar 17 is in the elevated position these links are or may be substantially perpendicular-to such longitudinal center line, the links moving about Itheir pivot connections with the angle bars 8, such pivot connections being indicated at 26. The pivot connections ofthe links 25 with the bar 17, which pivot connections are indicated at 27, move on an arc about the pivots 26. rllhe result is that the spurs 14 are projected above the top of the boxing sufliciently to enter the bottom faces of the cakes of ice which may at the time be upon the tracks 4. Each shaft 9 carries a gear wheel 28 to one side of the boxing which mesh with the gear wheel 28 'on the shaft 9 of the next conveyersection in order. By this means when the conveyer sections are placed in end to end engagement the idler gear wheel 32 at one end of one of the conveyer sections meshes with the gear wheel 28 of the nextconveyer section in order, wherefore when alconveyer is installed `with the sections connected end to end and' power is applied to one of the shafts, say, a shaft 9,- to cause the conveyer chain 12 of such shaft to travel, all the other conveyer chains are The mere act of placing the conveyer sections in end to end engagement accomplishes the rautomatical coupling of the movable parts of the conveyer together, so that if power be applied kto the propelling means of some one conveyer section, the propelling means of all the other conveyer sections of the series thus produced receive motion from the one to which power is directly applied. If the crank shaft 21 of each conveyersection be in such position that the chain controlling bar` lchains in the same series. This is accomplished by manipulating the respective shaft -21 to elevate the bar 17, thereby correspondingly elevating the upper run 15 of the chain 13 and projecting the spurs 14: belonging to' such chain. Any cakes of ice which may at the time be upon such conveyer section are then propelled by the particular active one of the conveyer chains, and any blocks of ice which may be upon the conveyer sections ahead of the active one in the line of travel are pushed forward by those blocks engaged by the active conveyer chain. In this manner ice may be conveyed from various parts of a storage room at the will of the operator, and any one or more of the conveyer chains may be rendered active or inactive to the blocks of ice, as may be desired.

The spurs or prongs ll which of course may be replaced by carrier bars or other means to engage the ice or other articles are so arranged as to be housed in the boxing or rendered inactive to the material being conveyed or projected into active position at the will of the operator. The bar 17 serves both as a means for elevating and lowering the active run of the chain, and as a support for the chain between the sprocket wheels over which the ends of the runs of the chain move. To provide for the elevation and depression of the upper run of the chain, the latter is made somewhat `loose between the sprocket wheels, and it is for this reason that the under supports'20 for the under run of the sprocketchain are provided in order that the chain may not when ,in the inactive position sag below the box 8 and the latter need not be made deep enough to provide for such a degree of sagging of the lowered run of the chain.

What is claimed is 1. A conveyer provided with track means for the support of articles Vto be conveyed, propelling means for the articles, and means for moving the propelling means into and out of operative relation to articles on th track means, at Will.

2. A conveyer comprising a plurality ofv sections each having tracks for the support of the articles to be conveyed, propelling means for such articles, and means for moving the propelling means into and out of operative relation to the articles on the tracks at will, the propelling means of each section having means for automatically coupling it to the propelling means of the next section or sections in order. v g

3. A conveyer section comprising a frame, tracks mounted'thereon in spaced relation, propelling means for articles carried by the tracks, and means for moving the propelling means into and out of engagement with articles on the tracks, at will.

4. A conveyer section comprising a suitable frame, spaced tracks mounted thereon, a boxing on the frame between the tracks, an endless propelling means mounted in the boxing and provided with means for engaging articles'on the tracks, and means for projecting the propelling means from the boxing into engaging relation toarticles on the tracks or to withdraw the propelling means into the boxing, at will.

5. A conveyer section comprising a suitable support, tracks mounted on thesupconveyed', a support for the upper run of.

the chain, and means for elevating or lowering the support to correspondingly elevate or lo'wer the chain to project the article-engaging means from the boxing or withdraw them into the boxing` at will.

7. A conveyer section comprising a suitable .frame, tracks mounted' thereon, a boxing on the frame between the tracks, sprocket wheels mounted in the boxing between the ends thereof, an endless sprocket chain engaging the sprocket wheels and provided with engaging means for the articles to be conveyed, a support for the upper run of the chain, and means for moving the support to project the engaging devices on the chain or withdraw them into the boxing, at

- will.

8. A conveyer Jsection comprising a suitable frame, tracks mounted` thereon, a boxing on the frame between the tracks, sprocket wheels mounted in the boxing between the endsthereof, an endless sprocket chain engaging the sprocket wheels and provided` with engaging means for the articles to be conveyed, a support for the upper run of the chain, and means for moving the support to project the engaging devices on the chain or withdraw them Vinto the boxing, at will, the conveyer section having gear wheels thereon connected to the respective sprocket wheels and the gear wheel at one end of the section having an-idler gear wheel in mesh therewith to engage a gear wheel of a neighboring section to transmit power from one sprocket chain tothe next in order in a series of assembled sections.

9. A conveyer section for assemblage in a series of sections making up a conveyer, comprising a suitable elongated frame, tracks mounted on the frame, a housing on the frame between the tracks and of substantially the length'of the section, sprocket Wheels mounted in the housing near the endsC thereof, an endless sprocket chain mounted 13@ on the sprocket wheels, engaging members on the sprocket chain for articles supported by the tracks, gear wheels connected to the respective sprocket wheels for transmitting power from one sprocket chain to the next in order in an assembled series of sections, and means for projecting one run of the chain from the boxing for engagement with the articles to be conveyed or withdrawing it into the boxing to permit movements of the chain without engagement with such articles.

10. A conveyer section comprising a suit-' able frame, tracks mounted thereon, a boxing also mounted on the frame between the tracks, an endless chain in the boxing having engaging devices for the articles to be conveyed when on the tracks, an elongated bar in under-riding relation to the upper run of the chain, pivoted.l links carrying the bar for the elevation and lowering of the bar by a longitudinal movement thereof, and means for effecting such longitudinal movement of the bar, at will.

11. A conveyer section comprising a suitable frame, tracks mounted thereon, a boxing also mounted on the frame between the elongated boxing between the tracks, an endless chain within the boxing and provided with engaging means for articles on the tracks, a support for the upper run of the chain comprising an elongated bar in underriding relation to said upper run, and pivoted links carrying the bar, and means for moving the bar lengthwise on the pivoty links comprising a crank shaft with accessible means for its manipulation, and connections between the crank shaft and bar.

13. A conveyer section comprising a suitable frame, tracks mounted thereon, an elongated boxing between the tracks, an endless chain within the boxing and provided with engaging means for articles on the tracks, a support for the upper run of the chainA comprising an elongated bar in under-riding relation to said upper run, and pivoted links carrying the bar, and means for moving the bar lengthwise on the pivot links comprising a crank shaft with accessible means for its manipulation, and connections between the crank shaft and bar, the boxing being provided with supporting wheels for the chain near the ends of the boxing, a gear wheel connected to each supporting means, and an idler gear wheel connected to the gear wheel at one end ofthe boxing and extending beyond the corresponding end of the boxing to engage a neighboring gear wheel on a neighboring section in-an assembled series of co`nveyer sections.

n ytestimony that l claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

B'YnoN B. PHiLLirs.

Witnesses:

HAROLD B. Woon, HOWARD E. DoUGHTY. 

